DON'T MAKE IT A PRESTIGE ISSUE, REPEAL FARM LAWS: OPPOSITION

Asserting that the new farm laws were passed after extensive deliberations

in Parliament, the BJP said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the

government's doors were always open for farmers to resolve the issue

amicably, and urged Opposition parties not to turn the agitation into

another Shaheen Bagh.

Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address,

BJP member Bhubaneswar Kalita said, "The benefits of these three important

farm laws have started reaching more than 10 crore people and small farmers.

There has been no reduction in the rights and facilities of farmers. Through

these agriculture reforms, the government has given new rights to farmers."

Saying the government has "utmost respect for farmers" and that Agriculture

Minister Narendra Tomar and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal have held

multiple rounds of discussions to resolve the issue, Kalita said, addressing

the Opposition, "The government is ready to discuss all issues. but my

appeal to our friends, please do not make it another Shaheen Bagh," he said.

In his intervention, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi

Azad, while condemning the violence at Red Fort during the farmers' tractor

rally on Republic Day, asked the government to withdraw the three laws

without making it a prestige issue.

Azad also demanded the withdrawal of sedition cases against his party

colleague Shashi Tharoor and mediapersons, saying, "Shashi Tharoor was

minister of state for external affairs. He has represented the country

outside. How can he be anti-national.then we all are anti-nationals."

The debate on the Motion of Thanks will continue in the Rajya Sabha on

Thursday.

RIHANNA AND GRETA PROMPT AN MEA OUTBURST - AND A HASHTAG FIRESTORM

India on Wednesday hit out at tweets by global celebrities such as singer

Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg in support of the farmers'

protests, the focus of a sharply polarised international debate that saw

many Bollywood stars and top ministers rally around the govt in its

pushback.

The 'temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments' is

neither accurate nor responsible, the Ministry of External Affairs said as

the international spotlight swivelled to the two-month protest against farm

laws. Facts must be ascertained before the rush to comment, the ministry

added, using the hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda to make

its point.

Rihanna, among the biggest pop stars of the day with 101 million followers

on Twitter, started the global chorus of support for India's farmers. 'Why

aren't we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest,' she tweeted.

Drawing more international attention to the issue, Thunberg followed soon

after. 'We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India,' she

tweeted.

Adding to their voices were American actor Amanda Cerni, United States Vice

President Kamala Harris' niece Meena Harris, Serendipity star Cusack, who

retweeted a post by Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate reading, 'Let us

talk about what is happening in India right now #FarmersProtest', and former

adult star Mia Khalifa who asked, 'What in the human rights violations is

going on?! They cut the internet around New Delhi?! #FarmersProtest.'

The pushback happened with the hashtags #IndiaTogether and

#IndiaAgainstPropaganda being used in the Ministry of External Affairs

statement and several Bollywood stars who joined top ministers to criticise

the 'half truths' of international forces.

The tweets advised people to focus on the government's efforts to resolve

the farmer crisis, sharing the Ministry of External Affairs statement that

some 'vested interest groups' were trying to enforce their agenda on the

protests and that a very small section of farmers in parts of the country

have some reservations about the farm reforms which were passed by

Parliament after full debate and discussion. 'Before rushing to comment on

such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper

understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken,' it said. 'The temptation

of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when

resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible,'

it added.

MEA USUALLY DOESN'T RESPOND TO PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS

As a long-standing norm, the government, especially the Ministry of External

Affairs, only reacts to statements by international and multilateral

organisations, foreign governments, that too from Foreign Ministries,

Foreign Ministers, heads of States (Presidents) and heads of governments

(Prime Ministers). In recent years, it has started responding to comments

from Members of Parliament and political leaders of other countries. The

Ministry does not usually respond to private individuals and their comments.

This time, that exception was made after two major social media influencers,

Rihanna and Thunberg, tagged a CNN report and commented on the farmer

protests.

The MEA statement and Jaishankar's tweet drew a sharp response from Congress

leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram who called the government's

response "puerile".

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said: "It is good that Rihanna and Greta

Thunberg can wake up the MEA. Come on MEA, when will you realize that people

concerned with issues of human rights and livelihoods do not recognize

national boundaries? Why did MEA comment on the military coup in Myanmar?

Why is it "deeply concerning" to the MEA? Why does MEA regularly comment on

issues that are "internal" to Sri Lanka and Nepal? Why did the PM of India

comment on the assault on the Capitol building in Washington by the Trump

storm troopers? It is sad that someone erudite and worldly wise like Mr S

Jaishankar should allow such puerile reactions by the MEA."

TIKAIT UPS THE ANTE, ASKS GOVT TO REPEAL AGRI LAWS OR LOSE POWER

In a show of strength by protesting farmers, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader

Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday addressed a massive rally in Haryana and warned

the government it could find it difficult to stay on in power if the new

agri-marketing laws are not repealed.

Just before Tikait was to begin his speech at the 'mahapanchayat' in Jind,

the stage on which the farmer leaders had gathered collapsed under their

weight.

Nobody was reported hurt and the Bharatiya Kisan Union leader went on to

address the large gathering. "We have so far talked about bill wapsi

(repealing the farm laws). The government should listen carefully. What will

you do if the youth call for gaddi wapsi (removal from power)?" he said.

He asked the Centre to repeal the three laws and frame a new one to assure

the continuation of the minimum support price (MSP) system.

He said the Centre must talk with the farmer unions spearheading the

agitation.

The 'mahapanchayat' was attended by Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni

and BKU leader from Punjab, Balbir Singh Rajewal. Over 50 khap leaders were

also present.

Last week, a large number of farmers participated in a mahapanchayat in UP's

Muzaffarnagar in support of the BKU-led protest at Ghazipur.

Jind is often considered part of Haryana's political heartland and the

'mahapanchayat' was meant to muster support for the agitation.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

AFTER MYANMAR COUP, SUU KYI CHARGED FOR ILLEGALLY IMPORTING WALKI-TALKIES

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Myanmar civilian leader deposed by the military in

a coup, was charged on Wednesday with an obscure infraction of having

illegally imported at least 10 walkie-talkies, according to an official from

her National League for Democracy party. The violation can be punishable by

up to three years in prison.

The court detention order, provided by officials from the party that

governed Myanmar until the putsch on Monday, was dated on the day of the

coup and authorises the detention of Suu Kyi for 15 days (February 15). The

charges include breaching import and export laws, and possession of unlawful

communication devices. The document said that soldiers searching her villa

in Naypyitaw had turned up various pieces of communications equipment that

had been brought into the country without proper paperwork. It requested Suu

Kyi's detention "in order to question witnesses, request evidence and seek

legal counsel after questioning the defendant". A separate document showed

police filed charges against ousted President Win Myint for violating

coronavirus protocols.

It was a bizarre postscript to a fraught 48 hours in which the army placed

the country's most popular leader back under house arrest and extinguished

hopes that the Southeast Asian nation could one day serve as a beacon of

democracy in a world awash with rising authoritarianism. The surprise use of

walkie-talkies to justify locking up a Nobel Peace Prize laureate reinforced

the military's penchant for using fine-grained strategy to neutralise its

political rival.

RUSSIA REJECTS WEST CRITICISM ON JAILING NAVALNY

Russian authorities on Wednesday shrugged off the massive rallies against

the jailing of top Kremlin foe Alexei Navalny and rejected Western criticism

as "hysterics" as activists reported over 1,400 new arrests amid renewed

protests. A Moscow court on Tuesday ordered Navalny to prison for nearly

three years, finding that he violated the terms of his probation while

recuperating in Germany from poisoning. US secretary of state Antony Blinken

urged Moscow to free Navalny. French President Macron called the conviction

"unacceptable". Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman too called for

Navalny's release. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov called the Western

demands as "arrogant and improper."

THE REST

========

GHULAM NABI AZAD: BRING BILL TO RESTORE J&K STATEHOOD

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday asked the government to bring

a Bill in Rajya Sabha proposing restoration of statehood for Jammu and

Kashmir.

Azad said any measure that upsets the people residing in the Northeast and

border areas, including Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Punjab, should not be

taken.

Referring to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Azad said she taught him

that "we cannot fight on multiple fronts with Pakistan and China". The

Congress leader claimed that the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are not

happy as outsiders can now buy their land and work there unlike in the past.

Arguing against Jammu and Kashmir being converted into a Union Territory, he

also claimed that the law and order situation in Kashmir was 100 times

better when it was a state as compared to now, militancy was at its lowest

and development works were at their best, irrespective of whichever

government was in power in the state.

ON RIHANNA'S TWEET TENDULKAR SAYS, INDIANS SHOULD DECIDE FOR INDIA

After international celebrities including singer Rihanna and environmental

activist Greta Thunberg commented on the ongoing farmers' protest in the

country against the proposed farm laws, former Indian cricket captain Sachin

Tendulkar on Wednesday said India's sovereignty cannot be compromised and

external forces cannot become participants. "Let's remain united as a

nation. #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda," Tendulkar tweeted.

Their views found echo in Bollywood with actors Akshay Kumar, Kangna Ranaut

and Ajay Devgn, Suniel Shetty, Karan Johar, Lata Mangeshkar, Ravi Shastri

and Virat Kohli among those who urged people to be wary of half truths and

false propaganda.

However, there were also voices within the Indian entertainment industry

which backed the farmers.

Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh shared a song tribute to Rihanna for her tweet

and actor Ali Fazal said the issue was not 'an internal matter'.

PROTESTS ONLINE, ON GROUND: UTTARAKHAND, BIHAR ARE WATCHING FOR PASSPORTS,

JOBS

Bihar Police has warned that persons indulging in criminal activities during

law and order incidents, protest demonstrations and sadak jaam (disruption

of road traffic) and are further named in a chargesheet, would find it

difficult to get passports, government jobs, financial grants by the state,

or even bank loans.

The order, issued by the Director General of Police, on February 1, said,

"All this will be duly mentioned in the Police Verification Report. Such

people should be ready for grave consequences." The order specifies nine

services for which police verification is required: arms license, passport,

character certificate, contractual jobs in government, work contracts in

government departments, boards and commissions, licences for petrol pump and

gas agency, government assistance or grant, bank loans, and any other

purpose where such a verification is sought.

Taking this a step further, the Uttarakhand Police now plans to monitor and

take note of comments made by persons on social media. At a conference of

police officers Tuesday, Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar asked the police to

maintain a record of people making "anti-national" or "anti-social" posts on

social media, with screenshots as evidence. "Earlier, only FIR was checked,

but now a person's behaviour on social media will also be checked," he said.

To a question what kind of comments will be considered anti-national, Ashok

Kumar said, "Whoever is writing against national unity and integrity, that

is anti-national."

The Bihar order has come under strong criticism by opposition parties.

"Nitish Kumar is offering a challenge to Hitler and Mussolini by ordering

that any protest against the government and exercising one's democratic

rights can deprive one of a government job. It means that the government

would neither give jobs nor allow one to lodge protest," leader of

Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said in a tweet.

THAROOR, SARDESAI & OTHER JOURNOS MOVE SC SEEKING QUASHING OF FIRs

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and senior journalists Rajdeep Sardesai,

Paresh Nath and his son Anant Nath, Mrinal Pande and Zafar Agha filed

separate petitions in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking quashing of

FIRs lodged in various states for alleged misstatements and misreporting of

the tractor rally by farmers on Republic Day.

Ssenior advocates Kapil Sibal and Mukul Rohatgi will represent Tharoor and

Caravan editor-in-chief Paresh Nath. Senior advocates Rajiv Nayar and

Rebecca John will appear for Sardesai and Caravan editor Anant Nath, while

coal scam special public prosecutor and senior advocate R S Cheema will seek

relief on behalf of National Herald editorial advisor Mrinal Pande and group

editor Zafar Agha.

The petitioners termed invocation of sedition charges as a retrograde step

by the police to stifle their right to free speech and to harass voices

critical of the police action.

The petitioners appeared to take a leaf out of an earlier petition filed by

TV anchor Arnab Goswami, who had sought quashing of FIRs invoking sedition

charges against him by Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh for his

statement during a TV programme.

GOVT PUTS TWITTER ON NOTICE, SAYS COMPLY WITH LAW

The government yesterday put Twitter on notice for not honouring a previous

legally binding order to remove incendiary and provocative accounts from its

space and asked it to comply with the Indian law or face action for not

working to prevent a potential law and order situation.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology warned Twitter for

"unilaterally unblocking several accounts linked to a hashtag that falsely

fear-mongered about alleged farmers' genocide."

Several of these accounts (250 plus) were blocked on Monday for tweeting and

retweeting objectionable posts but were later restored by Twitter,

government sources said.

BEZOS TO STEP DOWN AS AMAZON CEO

On Tuesday, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, 57, said his run at the top of the

Seattle-based company was over. As Amazon reported its latest set of

blockbuster financial results, Bezos said he planned to hand over the reins

this summer and transition into the role of executive chairman. Andy Jassy,

53, the chief executive of Amazon's cloud computing division, will be

promoted to run the entire company. The change will be effective in the

third quarter, which starts in July.

The changing of the guard is set to ripple out beyond Amazon, which Bezos

has personified for more than two decades. His impact has turned him into

one of the world's most influential technology and business leaders, as well

known as the founders of Apple and Microsoft, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.

Bezos will remain Amazon's biggest shareholder - he owns 10.6% of the

company, according to filings - and stay on the board of directors.

BACK TO BEING BACKSEAT BOY

Ajinkya Rahane, who captained India with unmatched coolness in two Test

victories in Australia, helping the team win the series 2-1, had raised an

intriguing debate - former cricketers and analysts began to wonder if he

might be better suited to the captain's job than regular captain Virat

Kohli.

When Rahane himself was asked about his role now that Kohli is back to lead

the team against England, he said: "My job is to take a back seat and help

Virat. My job is really easy now. When Virat asks me about anything, I will

tell him. Virat was the captain and he came back for family reasons. So I

was the captain in Australia."

Rahane also said the win in Australia was over and done with, and that it's

time to focus on the task at hand.

"Australia is past. We are in present. We respect the England side which has

won a Test series (2-0) in Sri Lanka. We want to play good brand of cricket

and we are not taking anything for granted," said Rahane.

India take on England in first of the 4-test series, in Chennai tomorrow.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. - Henry David

Thoreau

OFF TRACK

The orthopedic surgeon Joe worked for was moving to a new office, and his

staff was helping transport many of the items. Joe sat the display skeleton

in the front of his car, his bony arm across the back of his seat. Joe

hadn't considered the drive across town.

At one traffic light, the stares of the people in the car beside him became

obvious, and he looked across and explained, "I'm delivering him to my

doctor's clinic."

The other driver leaned out of his window, "I hate to tell you," he said,

"but I think it's too late!"